The present invention discloses a transdermal system in a matrix form, comprising an active ingredient dissolved or dispersed in a polymer, wherein the active ingredient contains granisetron.
Conventional techniques regarding transdermal drug delivery systems containing granisetron have recently been described, which include, for example, Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 10-2005-0116365 disclosing a transdermal system consisting of granisetron and an acrylic adhesive. This document describes that the transdermal system must have an area of 40 cm2 in order to reach a concentration identical to Cmax (3.6 ng/ml), which is obtained by administering a tablet with 1 mg of granisetron. However, if the area of the transdermal system is enlarged, patient compliance may be decreased. For this reason, the transdermal system preferably has a reduced size.
WO-03013482 discloses a transdermal system of a 5-HT3 antagonist, comprising an adhesive dressing that includes a copolymer simultaneously having a hard segment and a soft segment, a plasticizer and a drug. However, if a transdermal formulation is prepared by the technique in this document, a synthesis process to prepare the copolymer may be added, leading to a very complicated process for fabrication of the transdermal system.
WO 2006/028863 discloses a transdermal system of an antiemetic agent and a process for fabrication thereof. This technique is characterized in that a transdermal absorption enhancer selected from a group consisting of: N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone; polyvinylpyrrolidone; polyethylenegygol 400; laureth-4; mineral oil; and sorbitan monolaurate, which is used alone or in combination of two or more thereof, may be mixed with an adhesive to prepare a matrix type formulation. Although this document suggests a variety of transdermal absorption enhancers capable of being mixed with an acrylic adhesive having a hydroxyl functional group, if a content of the enhancer exceeds 5% of a solid content of the adhesive, the enhancer may decrease cohesive strength of the adhesive. As a result, the transdermal system attached to skin may exhibit a cold flow phenomenon. In addition, mineral oil may not be sufficiently combined with other ingredients in the system. Moreover, the transdermal system has a problem in that a drug contained in the transdermal system may crystallize during storage unless a crystallization inhibitor such as polyvinyl pyrrolidone is added.